Open Access
Open access
volume 269 pages 108185

A review of chemical viscosity reducers for heavy oil: Advances and application strategies

Chenhao Gao 1
Ruiying Xiong 1
Jixiang Guo 1
Wyclif Kiyingi 1
Hanxuan Song 1
Li Wang 1
Wenlong Zhang 1
Xiangwei Chen 1
Publication typeJournal Article
Publication date2025-05-01
scimago Q1
wos Q1
SJR1.602
CiteScore17.0
Impact factor7.7
ISSN03783820, 18737188
Abstract
The proportion of heavy oil in oil production will be higher and higher, but the high viscosity of heavy oil limits the development of heavy oil. In order to avoid the problems of high energy consumption and carbon emission caused by thermal recovery of heavy oil, this paper reviews and puts forward the application strategy of viscous reducers. By summarizing the thickening mechanism of heavy oil, the viscosity reducing principle, classification, advantages and disadvantages and application range of different viscosity reducers were clarified. The research and development ideas of each viscosity reducers to achieve green circulation were emphatically reviewed. Secondly, the application ideas of wellbore and formation viscosity reduction are given. Finally, from the thickening mechanism of heavy oil and the development, cost and post-treatment of viscosity reducer, the future development direction of viscosity reducer is forecasted.
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GOST Copy
Gao C. et al. A review of chemical viscosity reducers for heavy oil: Advances and application strategies // Fuel Processing Technology. 2025. Vol. 269. p. 108185.
GOST all authors (up to 50) Copy
Gao C., Xiong R., Guo J., Kiyingi W., Song H., Wang L., Zhang W., Chen X. A review of chemical viscosity reducers for heavy oil: Advances and application strategies // Fuel Processing Technology. 2025. Vol. 269. p. 108185.
RIS |
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RIS Copy
TY - JOUR
DO - 10.1016/j.fuproc.2025.108185
UR - https://linkinghub.elsevier.com/retrieve/pii/S0378382025000098
TI - A review of chemical viscosity reducers for heavy oil: Advances and application strategies
T2 - Fuel Processing Technology
AU - Gao, Chenhao
AU - Xiong, Ruiying
AU - Guo, Jixiang
AU - Kiyingi, Wyclif
AU - Song, Hanxuan
AU - Wang, Li
AU - Zhang, Wenlong
AU - Chen, Xiangwei
PY - 2025
DA - 2025/05/01
PB - Elsevier
SP - 108185
VL - 269
SN - 0378-3820
SN - 1873-7188
ER -
BibTex
Cite this
BibTex (up to 50 authors) Copy
@article{2025_Gao,
author = {Chenhao Gao and Ruiying Xiong and Jixiang Guo and Wyclif Kiyingi and Hanxuan Song and Li Wang and Wenlong Zhang and Xiangwei Chen},
title = {A review of chemical viscosity reducers for heavy oil: Advances and application strategies},
journal = {Fuel Processing Technology},
year = {2025},
volume = {269},
publisher = {Elsevier},
month = {may},
url = {https://linkinghub.elsevier.com/retrieve/pii/S0378382025000098},
pages = {108185},
doi = {10.1016/j.fuproc.2025.108185}
}